Say hello to Marissa, CEO and founder of Stil Classics! STIL is a female-run and founded company that has been operating out of Vancouver for the past 7 years. STIL aims to inspire women to take charge of their busy lives and make room for little moments that are just for them. They make this possible with the wide variety of beautiful organizational products they offer, you can find everything from journals to planners and stationery accessories. Organization is just a click away!
Blooming Businesses: Marissa from Stil Classics
Q: What is the story behind the creation of Stil Classics?
A: I've been a planner girl for a pretty long time. I used planners when I was in elementary school, and then all the way through high school. When I was 24, I had a full-time job, I was going to school and I was running a little side gig so I had these three different schedules that I had to organize. It was a lot going on and I knew that I needed a good planner to get me through that year. I went to Indigo and got myself a planner. I realized very quickly that it wasn't very functional. The aesthetic itself also wasn't something that I fully identified with. I decided to do a little bit of research into what planners existed out on the market and long story short, I could not find what I needed so I decided to create it. Now here we are 7 years later :)
Q: What have you found the most rewarding aspect of running STIL?
A: The most rewarding aspect of running STIL is that I get to do something I love every single day. I truly love what I do and every day is like a new adventure when you run your own business. Another aspect I love is that I’ve gotten to meet so many incredible women that are self-employed hustlers and I’ve been able to learn so much from them.
Q: Who are you going to gift your next Bear’s Blooms box to and why?
A: Most likely my mother because her birthday is coming up soon!
Q: If you had to give one piece of advice to anyone hoping to start their own business what would it be?
A: My one piece of advice is that there is no such thing as luck, there is only hard work. Really, really hard work.
Q: What is your favourite flower and why?
A: My favourite flower is the peony and the reason why is that it’s my mothers favorite flower and it always reminds me of her.
Q: What is one Stil Classics product that you can't live without?
A: My planner. Hands down.
Q: Who was your role model growing up?
A: Growing up I'm not really sure I had a role model. I grew up in Switzerland so my upbringing was much different than anything here in North America. It wasn’t really until I was in my mid-teens that I started to pay attention to these things and care about them more.
Q: What would you say has been the biggest factor in making STIL so successful?
A: My dedication to the business over the years. Putting everything I have into it and never giving up. I've also been able to build my team in a very meaningful way and that has really helped make us the success that we are today.
Q: What has been the biggest goal that you have hit so far and what is your next big goal?
A: One of my biggest goals was to give a TED Talk and I did my first talk this past November. It was one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve ever had and it was such an honour. My next big goal is to grow my team to 6 people!
Find them at www.stilclassics.com or follow them on Instagram at @stilclassics
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